Internet Child Predator Sentenced for Exploiting Children as Young as Twelve Years Old via Instagram, Snapchat, and X.

INDIANAPOLIS- Bobby Cyprus Linhart, 24, of Greenfield, Indiana has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material to a minor, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Linhart has also been ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims.

According to court documents, between April 2023 and March 2024, Linhart repeatedly targeted minors between the ages of 12 and 15 through social media platforms including Instagram, Telegram, Snapchat, and X. Using the username "maps.syb," he contacted at least six identified minor victims and attempted to reach additional children.

Linhart employed grooming tactics such as feigning interest in the minors' activities, complimenting their appearance, lying about his age, and offering narcotics in exchange for sexual acts.

Linhart coerced multiple children into producing and sending sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. He later distributed images and videos of children obtained from various victims to attempt to entice other minor victims. He also arranged in-person meetings with minors for sexual activity. Investigators determined that he traveled to at least two cities, including one out of state, to abuse his victims in person.

In one instance, Linhart used Instagram to groom a 12-year-old girl, persuading her to sneak out of her home to meet him. During the encounter, he provided her with marijuana and then sexually abused her.

On March 19, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Linhart's home in Greenfield and seized an external hard drive containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

"What makes this case especially disturbing is that Linhart not only targeted children online, but also attempted to, and in least one instance succeeded in, meeting his young victims in person for sexual activities," said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "Protecting children from predators, particularly those who hide behind screens and operate outside the watchful eyes of parents, remains one of our highest priorities."

"The facts and evidence of this case are deeply troubling, and our priority remains the protection of children and the pursuit of justice for victims. This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when local agencies, and federal law enforcement like Homeland Security Investigations, and specialized investigative resources work in close partnership. These cases are labor-intensive and sensitive but coordinated efforts like this are critical to uncovering the full scope of the crime and holding offenders accountable," said Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force Lieutenant, Doug Baker.

Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force (affiliate of the Indiana Crimes Against Children Task Force) and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn A. Haney and Kyle M. Sawa along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston, who prosecuted this case.

This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/Links to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. to learn more about their efforts.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

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